Case Report: Visceral Leishmaniasis and Hemophagocytic Lymphohistiocytosis: Three Clinical Cases, Three Different Patterns

Visceral leishmaniasis (VL) is a neglected tropical disease with more than 30,000 cases annually reported worldwide. In Brazil, about 3,700 cases are annually reported. The VL clinical presentation is variable, from asymptomatic to severe cases with a high risk of death. We reported three cases of VL with clinical sign similarities but distinct development. All cases had bone marrow hemophagocytosis and hemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis (HLH) criteria. HLH is a rare condition that may have secondary causes, including infectious and parasitic diseases, like VL. The delayed recognition of the secondary HLH (sHLH) association to VL may cause unfavorable outcomes and death.

Automated summary

Visceral leishmaniasis (VL) is a neglected tropical disease with high mortality risk and diverse clinical presentations. We reported three cases of VL with bone marrow hemophagocytosis and HLH.